Idaho Falls moving toward intersection improvement
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)-The Idaho Falls City Council has approved two actions intended to help the city move forward with improvements at the congested intersection of East 17th Street and Woodruff Avenue.
City engineers plan improvements there that will be similar to those completed at East 17th Street and Hitt Road several years ago.
To do that will require property rights and easements along all four sides of the intersection.
Proposed improvements would add turn lanes require additional right-of-way on the other three sides of the intersection. Although Public Works staff negotiated with property owners and made fair-market offers to obtain that right-of-way, the city was unable to reach agreement for two of the 16 necessary parcels.
Thursday night, the city council approved a resolution of condemnation that clears the way for the city to exercise its right of eminent domain to acquire the necessary right-of-way.
The project is federally funded and right-of-way funding is programmed in the project to address necessary land acquisition. The city will receive reimbursement at 92.66% of the cost.
The city plans to begin construction at the intersection in 2022.
